Bill Gates and Melinda Gates are getting a divorce after 27 years of marriage, the billionaire philanthropists announced on Monday.
“After a great deal of thought and a lot of work on our relationship, we have made the decision to end our marriage,” said Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, in a tweet Monday afternoon.
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) May 3, 2021
“We continue to share a belief in that mission and will continue our work together at the foundation, but we no longer believe we can grow together as a couple in this next phase of our lives,” the statement adds.
Bill Gates, who stepped down from Microsoft last year to focus on the Gates Foundation amid the coronavirus pandemic, has an estimated worth of over $130 billion, according to Forbes.
The pair have said they will put their billions towards philanthropic causes, especially through their foundation. Each of their three children together is set to inherit $10 million. The rest of their fortune will be given to charitable causes, the Gates have said.